Car-coupling



Vmoncmdel.)

W. H. ROUNDY.

HUGH-Coupling. No. 234,727ff`li Patented Nov. 23,1880.

Wl WI [Ww N,FETERS. PHOTO.LIIHDGRAPNERI WASH NGTON D c lUNITED STATES PATENT @erica WILLIAM H. ROUNDY, 0F MABSHALLTOWN, IOVA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,727, dated November 23, 1880, Application filed July l2, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern Be it known that l, VILLIAM H. ROUNDY, of Marshalltown, in the county of Marshall, in the State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in (lar-Couplings, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to that class of carcouplings in which the coupling-pin is operated by a lever pivoted to the draw-bar; and it consists in an improved construction of said lever and its connection with the couplingpin and draw-bar, as hereinafter fully described, whereby the coupling apparatus is rendered effective, reliable, safe, and durable.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure l is plan view of my improved car-coupling; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of same; Fig. 3, a

view of the lever detached; and Fig. 4, a longitudinal section of the draw-bar with the lever and pin removed.l

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the draw-har, of the usual external form, connected to the car in the ordinary manner, and having at the forward end the requisite bell-mouth for the reception of the coupling-link. Vertically through the center of the draw-bar is a longitudinal slot, s, which is extended through the bottom of the Idraw-bar, so as to prevent collection of dust,

water, or snow therein. The forward extremity of the aforesaid slot terminates in a rectangular mort-ise, s', extending part way into the haring end of the draw-bar, and having an enlarged width forming abrupt shoulders a a, at its junction with the slot s.

B is a lever Apivoted in the slot s at u, or about midway its length, and below the top surface of the draw-bar, so as to avoid interference of the lever with the frame of the car. The forward extremity of the lever B is provided with an enlarged head, b, which, by its weight, serves to automatically depress said end of the lever, and thus dispenses with the use of springs, as heretofore employed, and not only found unreliable but also incapable of releasing the coupling in case of accidental upsetting of the car. The head b is fitted to the mortise s', before described, and enters thc lof the lever when entered into the mortise.

D represents the coupling-pin, pendent from the forward end of the lever B, and of sufcient length to enter a mortise in the lower jaw of the bumper, and thus obtain a bearing for the lower extremity of the pin when subjected to the strain ot' the coupling-link. The upper end of the pin l) is pivotcd in a recess in the under side of the lever by a pin, c, passing transversely through said parts. The lever B, with its coupling-pin, is held yieldingly in a depressed position by the weighted head b of the lever.

The collision with the pendent pin D of the coupling-link of the approaching car presses said pin rearward until it strikes the rear face of the recess in the lever, which face is at a proper angle to afford a good bearing for the back of the pin and arrest the rearward thrust of same in such a position as to present a wedging surface to the approaching link, the pressure of which against said pin forces the lever B* upward sufficiently to raise the pin over the end of the link and allow the same to drop into and engage said link.

It is designed to have the front face of the pin bearing against the inner face of the mortise in the draw-bar, and thus take the strain off the pivoted pins c and u of the couplingpin and lever, respectively, and throw it directly on the draw-bar. To accomplish this more effectually the pivoted hole i', for the pin in the end of the lever B, is elongated toward the front end of the lever, so as to allow the pin to move forward according to the abrasion of the front face of the pin and the adjacent face of the mortise s and maintain them in contact. The rear shoulders of the head abutting against the shoulders a a of the mortise s' arrest the rearward thrust of the lever when sub jected to the collision of the couplingdink with the coupling-pin in the act of coupling, thereby relieving the pivoted pin of the lever B of all strain, and, in conjunction with the compensating connection of the coupling be- IOO fore described, overcoming all the difficulties which have deprived analogous couplings of their efficiency and durability.

Across the under side of the car-body is pivoted a rod, U, bent at right angles at or near its center to form a crank or cam, C', directly over the rear end of the lever B, as shown in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, said rod being provided at opposite sides ot' the car with a suitable handle, h, by means of which the rod C can be turned so as to cause the cam C to depress the rear end of the lever. The conse-- quent raising of the opposite end of said lever, lifting the coupling-pin, releases the couplinglink. Thus, in case it is desired to make what is termed running-switch of a car,or push the car without coupling with it, it is only necessary to turn the cam C so as to depress the rear end of the lever B.

I do not claim, broadly, the combination, with a draw-bar, of the pivoted coupling-lever and its pendent coupling-pin, as I am aware the same is not new.

I am also aware that coupling-levers have been provided with an elongated passage for its fulcruln-pin, so as to allow said lever to be drawn forward and cause the coupling-pin to bear against the forward face of its passage through the draw-bar, and thus relieve the fulcrum-pin ot' the lever of the strain; but such an arrangement requires longitudinal play of the coupling-lever, which for that reason has been arranged upon the top of the draw-bar. The objections to this arrangement are, rst, it requires extra room under the car for the play of the lever; second, it requires extra length of the coupling-pin; third, the lever is unsupported and exposed; fourth, the rebound of the lever incident to sudden thrusts is liable to break its pivotal pin-all of which objections are overcome by my improvements.

What I claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

rIhe draw-bar having the slot s extended vertically through the same and terminated with lateral offsets or shoulders a ain the mortise s', and the lever B, pivoted in slot s, and having the enlarged head b tted into the mortise and against the shoulders t thereof, and provided with a horizontally-elongated pivotal hole, 1, for the pin D pendent therefrom, all constructed and combined substantially in the manner described and shown.

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto signed my name and affixed my seal in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, this 10th day ot` July, 1880.

WILLIAM H. ROUNDY.

Witnesses E. LAAss, WM. C. RAYMOND. 

